What did I learn?

The following questions will help you review concepts presented in this module.

Which of the following statements describes how ethanol crosses the blood-brain-barrier?

It moves by filtration through fenestrae (pores) in capillary endothelial cells membranes.

It diffuses passively across the endothelial cell membranes.

It moves by filtration through spaces between the endothelial cells.

It is transported by a special carrier protein across the endothelial membrane.

Which symptoms of alcohol intoxication are most likely to emerge first?

slurred speech

loss of balance

impaired memory

impaired judgement

To produce the signs of intoxication, ethanol must interact with specific membrane proteins called GABA and glutamate receptors. These receptors normally regulate the electrical excitability of neurons. Which of the following occurs when alcohol causes the signs of intoxication?

alcohol increases the firing rate of neurons all over the brain

alcohol decreases the firing rate of neurons all over the brain

alcohol increases the firing rate of neurons in specific parts of the brain

alcohol decreases the firing rate of neurons in specific parts of the brain

With repeated alcohol use, GABA receptors adapt to the presence of the alcohol by down-regulating, or decreasing their number in the neurons. What effect would this have if one keeps drinking alcohol?

the person would need more alcohol to become intoxicated (i.e., become tolerant)

the person would need less alcohol to become intoxicated (i.e., become tolerant)

the person would metabolize more alcohol (i.e., become tolerant)

the person would metabolize less alcohol (i.e., become tolerant)

A friend of yours drank some alcohol and had a really bad reaction; she had nausea, rapid heart rate, sweating, and her face got really red. You knew what probably caused the bad reaction. What was it?

Her liver metabolized the alcohol into a toxic compound

Her liver enzymes were too slow to metabolize acetaldehyde, causing it to accumulate.

She carried a polymorphism for the ALDH gene that reduced the activity of the ALDH enzyme